When your husband tells you it looks like you've just run a marathon and asks if he could take your photo (I guess to laugh at later) you know you've just been through an ordeal. That ordeal this week was called vaccinations. No, not for me but the dreaded two month immunisation plan for little Orión. He had a couple of jabs on his first day out in the world and they didn't phase me too much but after two months of looking into those little eyes (still blue by the way!) and them staring back at you; well, this round of vaccinnes was different story!
There I was sat in the doctor's office with him happily breastfeeding and not knowing what was about to hit him. I held him extra close and as the first jab went in (poor little one needed three!!) his eyes burst wide open in a mix of surprise, fear and pain as he let out an almighty shriek that broke my heart and most definitely engrained a new "stress mark" on my face. Now I know why they say having kids ages you. Two more to go I told myself as I held him closer and my husband shooshed in his ears to calm him. With each jab came his screams and we cuddled him into calmness a few minutes later. If you found me in the cafe of the clinic ten minutes later you'd have sworn I was the patient that day not him. Even as we left half an hour later I caught a glimpse of my still reddened face in the mirror. What an ordeal.
So, as we women do in all difficult moments, I suggested we head straight to the shops for some retail therapy... so Orión might feel better. The photo is the result. I suppose it's not wise to teach my son that with every little difficulty one deserves a treat but actually it's quite a nice philosophy to have in life when you really think about it. Takes the sting out of it a bit. My mum told me not to worry that it hurts you more than them but I am already dreading the next round which are just four weeks away.
In all this I discovered a different part of myself - the protector. Sure there have been moments in life where I have felt protective of others and feared for them. I am much older than three of my brothers and they have kept me worried for the past twenty odd years with their various shenanigans and anyone who knows of my ridiculous pandering to the needs of my cat will have heard the tales of my tears over him; but this, well this is different. This is the kind of protective love that would find the strength of ten men to fend off the slightest bit of pain coming his way. This is a kind of feeling that I guess you only get to know when you become a parent. It's a fierce kind of love, it almost has an angry energy behind it. You can imagine yourself having developed ninja skills overnight to protect him. I've just noticed myself typing this with a terrible frown on my face as I remember my startled pequeno's (still learning Spanish yes...) tears.
In other highlights of the week, I've started expressing milk and Orión got his first try of a bottle. Actually we tried (and failed) last week with the bottle that came with the express machine but today with a new bottle that actually resembles the nipple (kind of needed right?!) he took to it pretty well. So now his papa is getting in on the feeding bond too. We don't plan on using it all the time but it will be nice to be able to make some plans in advance without worrying about how I will feed him. Yes, the first appointment will be a back massage, you can count on it.
There I was sat in the doctor's office with him happily breastfeeding and not knowing what was about to hit him. I held him extra close and as the first jab went in (poor little one needed three!!) his eyes burst wide open in a mix of surprise, fear and pain as he let out an almighty shriek that broke my heart and most definitely engrained a new "stress mark" on my face. Now I know why they say having kids ages you. Two more to go I told myself as I held him closer and my husband shooshed in his ears to calm him. With each jab came his screams and we cuddled him into calmness a few minutes later. If you found me in the cafe of the clinic ten minutes later you'd have sworn I was the patient that day not him. Even as we left half an hour later I caught a glimpse of my still reddened face in the mirror. What an ordeal.
So, as we women do in all difficult moments, I suggested we head straight to the shops for some retail therapy... so Orión might feel better. The photo is the result. I suppose it's not wise to teach my son that with every little difficulty one deserves a treat but actually it's quite a nice philosophy to have in life when you really think about it. Takes the sting out of it a bit. My mum told me not to worry that it hurts you more than them but I am already dreading the next round which are just four weeks away.
In all this I discovered a different part of myself - the protector. Sure there have been moments in life where I have felt protective of others and feared for them. I am much older than three of my brothers and they have kept me worried for the past twenty odd years with their various shenanigans and anyone who knows of my ridiculous pandering to the needs of my cat will have heard the tales of my tears over him; but this, well this is different. This is the kind of protective love that would find the strength of ten men to fend off the slightest bit of pain coming his way. This is a kind of feeling that I guess you only get to know when you become a parent. It's a fierce kind of love, it almost has an angry energy behind it. You can imagine yourself having developed ninja skills overnight to protect him. I've just noticed myself typing this with a terrible frown on my face as I remember my startled pequeno's (still learning Spanish yes...) tears.
In other highlights of the week, I've started expressing milk and Orión got his first try of a bottle. Actually we tried (and failed) last week with the bottle that came with the express machine but today with a new bottle that actually resembles the nipple (kind of needed right?!) he took to it pretty well. So now his papa is getting in on the feeding bond too. We don't plan on using it all the time but it will be nice to be able to make some plans in advance without worrying about how I will feed him. Yes, the first appointment will be a back massage, you can count on it.
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